


i crossed over lines and i broke all the rules (and baby, i broke them all for you)

by serenitysea



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, and run, and skye and ward do what they do best, make promises, wherein we fix episode 2.6, work as a team
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-29
Updated: 2014-10-29
Packaged: 2018-02-23 02:16:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2530307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serenitysea/pseuds/serenitysea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The cameras were off and Skye got what she needed: a promise from Ward. </p><p>That he would <i>run</i>.</p><p>spoilers for 2.6.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i crossed over lines and i broke all the rules (and baby, i broke them all for you)

**Author's Note:**

> yep NOPE that episode wasn't happening. have some fix-it fic, friends.
> 
> apologies in advance if it's not up to par. i was writing quickly to have this up before the west coast finished airing.

Cameras are off.  
  
This is how it works.  
  
*  
  
Skye knows the rules. How things work. What he's done and the price he needs to pay.  
  
But this? This is _not_ what she signed up for.  
  
"We have 90 seconds."  
  
Ward doesn't waste time asking stupid questions (like what the _actual hell_ is she doing, which is a question that might be warranted in this case) and locks his eyes on her. "What do you need?"  
  
And it's…  
  
It's like being in that damn hallway again before they blew it up; it's taking down Hydra together; it's a partnership that hurts with a knife to the chest and the comfort of being understood without having to say any words.  
  
"Coulson and May have been lying to me. Something's up. I need someone on the outside I can trust." She makes sure she is meeting his eyes when she says, "Someone who I know _won't lie to me_."  
  
 _71 seconds_.  
  
"Done."  
  
She nods, and exhales slowly to relieve the tension in her body. "So we need to make this look good. I'm going to ask you about your brother."  
  
This time he isn't feigning his reaction. She sees the way his chest tightens in anxiety and the slightly panicked look in his eyes.  
  
"And you need to do that, exactly that. But _more_."  
  
 _50 seconds_.  
  
"Why do you want to know about Christian?"  
  
"Coulson's making a deal. He's going to turn you over to him." Her eyes are fire-bright with determination. "We're _not_ letting that happen."  
  
"Skye…" He frowns, tilting his head in question. He wants — _needs_ — to earn his place back with these people and this doesn't seem like the right way to go about doing it.  
  
" _No_." Short of stamping her foot on the ground, she is hell-bent on seeing this through. "You're going to unravel while you tell me about him. That's all they're going to see."  
  
"He's a monster, Skye —"  
  
 _42 seconds_.  
  
"— And then, you're going to turn the tables on me and start talking about my dad." She talks over him, ruthlessly moving the conversation along. "I'm going to ask you to tell me how we can find him," Skye says.  
  
"There's a few people I know who —"  
  
"— You aren't going to tell me _anything_."  
  
Ward's eyes light up with comprehension. "Bait and switch."  
  
 _34 seconds_.  
  
"Coulson will come down next. Provoke him. Make him mad. He'll argue with you. Next they're going to take you out in cuffs. Shield standard issue."  
  
"SOP. Hardly surprising." He doesn't understand why she's so excited about the choice of handcuffs they're carting him away in. That they're carting him away _at all_ is pretty dire.  
  
 _21 seconds_.  
  
"You're not _listening_." She shakes her head, and a dark smile comes to her face. "We both know you can break them in ten seconds flat."  
  
The panic starts to clear. Skye is right.  
  
"And when you do, I need you to promise me something."  
  
"Anything." He can't believe she's doing this. He doesn't know _why_ she's doing this. But it has never been in his power to deny her anything and he sure as hell isn't going to start now. "Name it."  
  
"Promise me you'll _run_."  
  
"Of course I —"  
  
 _11 seconds_.  
  
"I _mean_ it, Ward. Don't try and watch over us or stick close to protect me."  
  
She's asking the impossible. It is breaking him in two to have to promise her this. But he's never lied to her before and —  
  
"One last thing."  
  
Because of _course_ there is one last thing. (She's always struggled with the structure of plans, much prefers to fly by the seat of her pants.) Ward is acutely aware of the invisible timer counting down and hates that she's playing this so close to the edge. " _Yes_?"  
  
"It has to look real."  
  
"It _will_ ," he says.  
  
Skye steps back and collects visibly collects herself. Then she squares her shoulders and meets his gaze. There is a sheen to her eyes that melts lighting quick.  
  
 _3 seconds_.  
  
' _Run_ ,' Skye whispers soundlessly.    
  
He nods once and steels himself against what needs to be the best performance of their lives.  
  
She dips her chin in acknowledgement.  
  
Ward obligingly begins to unravel, infusing layers of panic and distress in his voice. "Is Coulson talking to Christian?"  
  
*  
  
Cameras are off but prying eyes are back on.  
  
So this is how it goes.  
  
*  
  
"Isn't there anything else? Please, Ward." Her eyes fill with tears. If Ward didn't know any better, he'd give anything, _everything_ to make that look go away.  
  
"No. But we can find him. Together."  
  
Her eyes say ' _run, damn you, promise me you'll run_.'  
  
"I _promise_ you."  
  
She steps back, ending the moment. They're so close it's like the barrier has already been deactivated.  
  
(That comes later.)  
  
"Thank you. For telling me everything you know." It looks like it's going to _break_ her when she continues, "It's time we get you out of here."  
  
*

So he does what she says. Provokes Coulson. Makes him mad.

Seals his ticket out of the basement.

*  
  
They pull the cover off his head and he winces sharply against the blinding reality that is the outside world.  
  
Coulson is glaring at him and Ward doesn't know if it's real or not. The sunlight is bright enough to temporarily blind him, and he has to bite back a gasp as natural air with an honest to god _breeze_ caresses his cheek.  
  
"Tell Skye this doesn't change anything. I'll keep my promise."  
  
*  
  
The handcuffs are standard issue.  
  
This is how it works.  
  
*  
  
He breathes deep. Centers himself.  
  
Rolls his thumb once, twice, again — to loosen up the joint before he has to dislocate it.  
  
*  
  
(Standard issue handcuffs are a _joke_ for someone like Grant Ward.  
  
They're a joke, because they're the first thing you're taught to defeat in the Academy.)  
  
*  
  
He takes out the guards in less than 10 seconds.  
  
(Skye would be proud.)  
  
Then he gauges the speed of the van and prepares for a rolling exit out the back.  
  
And when he is at last clear of the doors —  
  
— he runs.

He _runs_.

  
*  
  
 _promise me you'll **run**_.

**Author's Note:**

> \+ title comes from brandi carlisle's the story, which is, in fact, a truly HEARTBREAKING song.
> 
> \+ as always, i'm on tumblr if you want to chat! (b-isforbombshell)


End file.
